Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Input/output data processing – Input/output command process
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-26
2001-09-11
Beausoleil, Robert (Department: 2781)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Input/output data processing
Input/output command process
C710S016000, C713S320000, C713S340000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289399
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to power management of a computer.
2. Related Art
According to a conventional power management method, power management is usually performed by individual devices or by individual device groups. The primary control object is a CPU, an LCD or an HDD, and conventionally the following power management methods are performed.
(a) CPU
Generally, it is possible to reduce the amount of power consumption by reducing the speed of the performance (clock frequency). A mode for halting an internal clock (such as stop-grant mode in Pentium), or internal and external clocks (such as stop-clock mode in Pentium) of a CPU has been prepared for the Pentium (a trademark of Intel Corp.) processor, etc. To reduce power consumption, a slow-clock emulation for reducing the clock frequency is performed by halting the clock for a specific period of time. An OS supporting APM (Advanced Power Management) monitors the dispatched state of a task, and halts the clock of the CPU when the OS determines no task is to be executed.
(b) LCD
The ratio of energy consumed by an LCD panel to the total of the required energy is relatively large, and reducing the luminance is a very effective power saving method. It should be noted, however, that generally there is a deterioration in usability when the luminance is reduced. A method is frequently employed whereby the input state of a keyboard is monitored, and the LCD is turned off when it is determined there is no keyboard operation by a user.
(c) HDD
Since a hard disk is not accessed constantly, the halt of the rotation of the disk when there is no disk access is a very effective power saving method. Generally, a method for halting the rotation of the disk is employed when no disk access has occurred for a period of time set by a timer. It should be noted, however, that if the disk has been halted when accessing to the disk, a large amount of power is required for spin-up to activate the disk, and an actual disk access will be delayed. It is, therefore, difficult to appropriately set the above function when frequent disk accesses are required.
The above described power management process for individual devices, or for individual device groups has the following problems: (1) the setting of a parameter for power management is fixed, regardless of the job type that represents the job status of the entire system, including that of present running application programs. Once the value of the parameter has been set, the specified value is usually not changed until the value is specified again. Some notebook computers have control programs that temporarily change the value of the parameter when an event occurs. However, this change is based merely on the usage history of an individual device, and the value of the parameter is not varied in accordance with the job type. (2) the conventional power management method is not flexible because the control of power savings for individual devices is performed completely independently. Although the power consumed by individual devices can be reduced, the total power reduction in a device assembly is not taken into account. Therefore, as a result, an unwanted deterioration of the performance and useability in a specific job type occurs.
As a power management procedure for the entire system, a method whereby, when a specific event occurs, the system shifts between states, such as a normal state, a rest state, a standby state, and a suspend state is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. Hei 8-36445, 7-302133 and 7-044286. In these publications, the type of application being executed is not taken into account, and the state transition is performed based merely on one predefined device usage status or on an event caused by it, and the control of the device is executed in response to the state transition. The type of application being executed is not taken into account because the methods described in the publications are based on the theory that the system is in the normal state so long as an application program is being executed, and it is therefore assumed that in such a case, the performance of the power saving process either not is required or will result in the occurrence of a problem. Thus, no state transition occurring during the execution of the application program is described in the above publications. Furthermore, the described methods provide the normal state and the suspend state and etc. only for the power reduction. But, no explanation is given for a viewpoint in which by performing power management which increases the power consumption in a job type, the power over long range time period will be reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a power management method for saving power taking into account a running application.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a power management method for saving power within the minimum deterioration of usability.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a power management method for the reduction over the long range time period.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new structure of a program that preforms power management.
To achieve the above objects, the present invention comprises: a resource manager for examining a running application and a usage status of an examination object device; and a policy manger for receiving, from the resource manager, information about the running application and the usage status of the examination object device, and for selecting a job type corresponding to the information, in a plurality of job types predetermined for the running applications. The resource manager receives, from the policy manager, the selected job type, and sets a parameter of a control object device thereinto. The parameter of the control object device is predetermined for the selected job type. Since the policy of the power management is defined for each running application, a more detailed power management process is performed to reduce the power consumed by the entire system. Further, a new structure of the program is provided in which the resource manager and the policy manager are divided functionally. A job type reported by the policy manager may be a job type name or a set of operating modes of the control object device.
The job types may include a job type for which the power consumed by the entire computer is increased by setting the parameter corresponding to the job type, into the control object device. Although it seems counter to the principle of power saving, taking the long view, it is better in some cases that the processing of a large quantity of data is terminated in as short period of time as possible.
In addition, in response to the change of the job type by the policy manager, the resource manager may notify a user of the change. As a result, notification of a reduction in the LCD luminance, etc., may be given in advance, so that usability is improved.
The computer may include a battery, so that the resource manager can examine the battery to determine the remaining power while the policy manager can determines a job type while taking into account the remaining battery power and the desirable operating duration specified by a user. How much battery power remains is particularly important for a portable computer, and if power can be consumed in accordance with a desirable operating duration, usability can be enhanced.
Although the present invention has been explained from the viewpoint of program modules, it is possible to perform the processing steps of the programs in another implementation. The programs can be stored on a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, and a floppy disk, which is distributed in the market.
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patent: 5560022 (1996-09-01), Dunstan et al.
patent: 5905900 (1999-05-01), Combs et al.
patent: 5909585 (1999-06-01), Shinmiya
patent: 5920728 (1999-07-01), Hallowell et al.
patent: 5925134 (1999-
Aihara Toru
Furuichi Sanahiro
Beausoleil Robert
Drumheller Ronald L.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Phan Raymond N
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